How to Fight Right-to-Work if You Live in Missouri

It was standing-room-only at the Tri-County Labor Club’s most recent meeting, as union members jockeyed for position to learn, “What do we do now that Missouri’s ‘right-to-work’ legislation has been signed into law?”

“We’re getting nothing but calls asking ‘What we can do?’” said Club President Steve Bailey. “We have to live with what we’ve got, but we’ve got to stay in the fight.”

Early this month, newly-elected Republican Gov. Eric Greitens fulfilled his campaign promise to sign “right-to-work,” but almost before the ink dried, Missouri AFL-CIO President Mike Louis fought back, filing a Referral Referendum petition that will, if signed by more than 140,000 – 160,000 registered voters, require a statewide vote in 2018 on the RTW law before it could take effect.

Additionally, Labor is considering a separate Initiated Constitutional Amendment Petition signature campaign on a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the General Assembly from ever enacting “right-to-work” laws in the future.

THE DIFFERENCE IN PETITIONS

Two differences between the two efforts:

A Referral Referendum requires five percent of signatures of the total vote in the last governor’s election in 6 of Missouri’s 8 congressional districts. If passed by the voters, RTW cannot be implemented, however, the issue can be brought up again in the next legislative session and passed.

It is is a rarely used process that, if it gets the required number of signatures, forces a statewide vote on it. Using this approach, citizens have rejected the legislature’s actions 24 of 26 times.

An Initiated Constitutional Amendment requires eight percent of signatures of the total vote in the last governor’s election in 6 of Missouri’s 8 congressional districts. It bypasses lawmakers altogether; citizens propose the legislation and it goes directly to the voters for their approval.

If passed by the voters, it becomes part of Missouri’s constitution and can’t be brought up again by the legislature; to change the constitution would require a vote of the public.

MAKING THE ROUNDS

Greater St. Louis Labor Council President Pat White has been making the rounds speaking at labor clubs and other organizations, explaining and answering questions about what lies ahead in the fight against the anti-worker anti-union law.

White emphasized the importance of gathering between some 140,000 and 160,000 signatures of registered voters to put either measure on the ballot.

“If we can pass this Referral Referendum by an overwhelming number, which we feel we can do, we hope that the politicians in the state will see that the people of Missouri don’t want this terrible law,” White said.

REGISTER TO VOTE

“The number one thing to do right now is get registered to vote,” White said.

“Registration first, then voting are the keys. You need to get everyone in your family of voting age registered to vote. Tell your friends, family and neighbors that if they aren’t registered, their signature on the petition is not valid to get RTW on the ballot. And if they’re not registered, they can’t vote to stop ‘right-to-work.’

“We need people to understand what ‘right-to-work’ can do to you and your family’s security, and we need to get people registered and out to vote.”

STAY INFORMED

White said it’s important for union members to stay informed through the Missouri AFL-CIO, the St. Louis Labor Council and the Labor Tribune, all of which have websites and can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.

He said information will also be distributed through local union halls and labor clubs.

MAINTAIN SOLIDARITY

White said it’s also important to maintain solidarity with your brothers and sisters in other unions both in the public and private sector.

“We have to be in lockstep with each other,” White said. “They will try to pit us against each other.”

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